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User profile for user: HenryHudsonRiver
HenryHudsonRiver Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

I recently upgraded my iCloud for extra storage space and have had numerous problems since.

I recently upgraded my iCloud for additional photo storage and it's created long delays when I'm trying to open and/or access my photos. It's very frustrating. And now I can't even seem to open several of my jpegs at all! Ever since I upgraded, it takes forever for my photos to "show up" on my computer. Does anyone know how to correct this? Shouldn't I be able to choose which photos get saved to the Cloud? I much prefer to keep my photos on separate storage units, which I have, and only save select photos to the Cloud. Unfortunately, I don't seem to have a choice. iCloud saves every single thing I do without giving me any apparent option.

Posted on Nov 27, 2021 6:14 PM

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User profile for user: muguy
muguy
User level: Level 9
76,225 points

Posted on Nov 27, 2021 7:56 PM

That's your iCloud storage, not your device storage. If your device storage is low, and you optimize, your Mac will offload files to save space. You can see your device storage under the Apple Menu > About this Mac > storage. Ideally, you would turn off optimize and your files will all remain on your Mac and sync with iCloud across all of your devices.



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User profile for user: muguy
muguy
User level: Level 9
76,225 points

Nov 27, 2021 7:56 PM in response to HenryHudsonRiver

That's your iCloud storage, not your device storage. If your device storage is low, and you optimize, your Mac will offload files to save space. You can see your device storage under the Apple Menu > About this Mac > storage. Ideally, you would turn off optimize and your files will all remain on your Mac and sync with iCloud across all of your devices.



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User profile for user: HenryHudsonRiver
HenryHudsonRiver Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Nov 27, 2021 7:20 PM in response to HenryHudsonRiver

The initial sync you mention appears to be a perpetual sync on my MacBook Air, for some reason. Here are some images that show the files downloading. The problem is, even after they sync and finally download, this process will repeat every time I want to open the same photo that was already synced. This is what keeps happening.

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User profile for user: muguy
muguy
User level: Level 9
76,225 points

Nov 27, 2021 7:31 PM in response to HenryHudsonRiver

Ok, so not in the Photos app.

It looks like you're using iCloud Drive to upload folders and the first and third are in the cloud only.

Do you have optimize Mac storage selected at System Preferences > Apple ID > iCloud? That will offload items as space is needed on your device and will require downloading items again. If you turn that off, all files will remain on your Mac.

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User profile for user: HenryHudsonRiver
HenryHudsonRiver Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Nov 27, 2021 7:40 PM in response to muguy

Thank you. It's not that I'm using iCloud Drive to upload folders. It's that iCloud Drive appears to be doing that on its own. And the same files keep downloading over and over again! I would think a file would only need to download once, but it's as if it was never downloaded to begin with. It's like groundhog day every time I open a photo on my MacBook, and this wasn't happening before I upgraded. Anyway, I'm going to try to optimize my storage now. Thank you again!

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I recently upgraded my iCloud for extra storage space and have had numerous problems since.

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